I drove from Ohio to Nashville last Thursday. Then I drove from Nashville to Alexander City, Alabama. From there I drove back up to Birmingham so I could catch a flight to Spokane via Dallas. I woke up 7 hours after landing in Eastern Washington and drove 4.5 hours east through Idaho into Northwest Montana.
Four different time zones in four days. Thousands of miles traveled. Eight states on the ground and flying over eight or nine more.
The neat thing is, across all those miles and hours in the car and riding on the planes high above the country, how much thinking you get to do.
Sure, I had conversations with fellow passengers and various people along the way. I listened to the radio, numerous podcasts, the PGA Golf Tournament, and even enjoyed some good phone calls. But the cool part was when I stopped talking and started looking around, listening, enjoying, and experiencing the journey.
Beyond the big windshield is an even bigger world. Driving along some desolate roads in Montana gives you time to simply appreciate the world we live in and the opportunities we have in front of us.
Maybe this week you need to hurry up and slow down?
Catch your breath. Look around. Listen to a loved one. Smile at a total stranger. Say “thank you” to someone.
Appreciate what you have and forget about what you don’t have.
Give yourself some thinking time this week.
There’s a long road ahead. Plenty of relationships to build, problems to solve, and fun to be had.
Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
